San Francisco Fire Code § 504.3 ACCESS TO BUILDING OPENINGS AND ROOFS. ¹

Doors and hatches to a roof must be able to be opened from the inside without the use of a key, code, or any special knowledge. Doors may be locked when approved by the fire code official where all of the following applicable conditions are met:

(1) Doors shall be capable of unlocking upon a signal from a constantly attended onsite location, or from an approved off-site supervising station staffed by trained personnel.

(2) Doors shall automatically unlock upon loss of electrical power. The locking mechanisms shall retract to the unlocked position.

(3) An approved two-way voice communication call box, shall be provided within 5 feet of each locked roof access door connected to a 24-hour staffed location on site with annunciation as to its location. Operating instructions shall be posted above each two-way communication call box. When approved by the fire code official, two-way voice communication system connected to an off-site facility may be permitted where means to remotely unlock the accesscontrolled doors from the off-site facility are provided.

(4) An approved latching mushroom-shaped palm button connected to the locked door and installed within 5 feet adjacent to each locked roof access door shall be provided to release the door locks when operated by an individual. The locks shall be reset manually at the door. Mount palm button so that the center line is 48 inches above the finished floor. Provide a sign stating: “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PUSH PALM BUTTON, DOOR WILL UNLOCK AND SECURITY ALARM WILL SOUND.”